Washing machine



June 27, 1933. F. WRIGHT 1,916,029

WASHING MACHINE Filed March 10, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //VVEN TOE FEfi/V/C WE/GHT June 2 7, 1933. F WRI HT 1,916,029

WASHING MACHINE Filed March 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK WRIGHT, OF FILEYQENGLAND WASHING MACHINE Application filed March 10, 1931, Serial No. 521,597, and in Great Britain March 10, 1930.

This invention relates to awashing machine designed to effect a thorough cleansing of clothes and other articles by a combination of mechanically produced scrubbing and squeezing actions.

Broadly, the present invention consists of a work table (preferably resiliently mounted), a rotary brush mounted above the table, a squeezing roll disposed behind said rotary brush and above the table, mechanism for driving the brush and roll and means to ensure a supply of cleansing liquor or the like in the region of the brush. The table is advantageously. adjustable to and from the 0 brush and roll, while the whole apparatus so far outlined is adapted tobe seatedover a tank from which the supply of cleansing liquor is pumped. 1 V

In operation, the clothes or other articles are fed on to the table and caught between the brush and the uppersurface of the table, where they are subjected to a scrubbing action by the brush. By retaining a hold on the articles against the pulling action of the brushs rotation, or releasing the same to travel through more or'less freely, various degrees of scrubbing or brushing are obtainable, and the cleansing liquor (supplied conveniently over the top of the brush) combines to give an elfective scrubbing. In rear of the brush is located the squeezing roll to which the articles travel over the table on leaving the scrubber, and this squeezes out the washing liquor and dirt. Most garments and the like can be gripped and held by the operator at this point, and even pulled back for repeated scrubbing.

The invention will be described in greater detail with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a machine according to one embodiment. V c

Figure 2 is a side elevation looking in the. direction of arrow A of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line IIIIII of Figure 1. 1

Figure 4 is a transverse section through the machine illustrating a modified table mounting and the use of a paddle in the washing tank.

nected by the links 15 with the table, whereby Figure 5 is an enlarged section through the paddle.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is employed a metal or other tank I 1, divided into two compartments 2 and 3, 5 which are provided with inlets for water (hot and/or cold) and with a steam inlet if desired. Both or either of the compartments may have a valve-controlled drain pipe 4. The tank 1 and its supporting frame consti- 6 tutes a stand for the washing mechanism and its operating gear.

Side frames and brackets 7 erected on the tank carry bearings for a cylindrical rotary brush 8 and a squeezing roller 9 respectively. 6

These surmount a table 10 of a curved shape, the support 11 for said table being carried by arms or radius rods 12 keyed onto the shaft 6. The tank 1 is shaped to form a well 5 to house the table-supportingshaft 6. The 7 arms 12 are each in two parts having right and left handed threads coupled by an adjusting nut whereby the table may be raised or lowered to allow for wear or replacement of the brush, andto enable thick or heavy articles such as blankets to be treated. The actual table 10 is resiliently mounted on the support 11 by coil springs 13,thereby permitting a yielding pressure, and allowing the table to accommodate itself to uneven thick- 8 nesses of materials passing between brush and table, and roll and table. Means are included to lower the table in its support, and compress the springs to permit of an opening or quick release in the bite of the brush or roller 9 on the table, and comprise the handlever 14: and pivoted links 15, the hand .lever being fixed to a crank shaft 14 which is rotatably mounted in the supports 11 and con- 9 swinging of the lever operates through said shaft and links to move the table downward- 1y relative to the supports 11 against'the springs 13. I 9 A splash-guardand safety-guard 16 (omitted for clearness from Figures .1 and 2) is mounted between the side supports 7 to cover the brush 8-and roller 9. It is hin ed at the centre to enable one side to be li ted 1 to give access to the brush, and the other side access to the roller.

Liquid is supplied from the compartment 3 of tank 1 to the brush 8 by means of a pump 17 which sucks by its pipe 18 and delivers by the pipe 19 to a spray-tube 20 disposed over the top of, and parallel to, the brush 8. The delivery may be located elsewhere in the region of the brush 8. The branch 21 represents a bypass back to the tank whereby the supply at 20 can be regulated.

With reference to the driving gear, the brush spindle or shaft 22 is conveniently arranged as the main drive for the machine. This shaft 22 may be driven either by an electric motoror otherwise, or through the intermediary of fast and loose pulleys '23 beltdriven from a line shaft. A belt drive 2% is arranged for the pump 17, whilst a lay-shaft the belt drive 26. v

The table 10 is caused to oscillate by rocking the shaft 6. A crank wheel 27 (which maybe made fast with the shaft by a clutch 28) has a connecting rod 29 attached tothe rocker arm 30 (Figure 2) which is fast with the shaft 6. Thus the table may be i 25. carrying the squeezing roll 9, is driven by caused to rock in unison with the rotation of the brush 8 and roller 9, or may be brought to a standstill by throwing out the clutch 28,

by means of the clutch treadle 31, rod 32, and

clutch selector 33. v

The guard 16 is so shaped that the brush 8 throws the washing liquor against the ,:Splaslrguardto:ensure a constant flowof liquor on to the work during the whole of the washing process. and then the liquor is returned to the tank for use again.

In operation, the table 10 when travelling to and fro carries the soiled garment under the brush 8, where it is cleansed and under the roller 9 where it is squeezed to carry away the soiled matter loosened by the brush. The top of the arc of the table is slightly flattened out as shown, so that while the brush impinges efiiciently on either side of the fiattened portion, as the table travels towards the operator the garment can be drawn back over the table, against the'pressure of the brush, to allow for an extra scrub if this is required.

By releasing the pedal 31 situated in front of the machine the friction drive at clutch 28 is disengaged, causing the table'to remain stationary, thereby enabling a very heavily soiled part of a garment, such as neckbands and cuffs of shirts, to remain under the brush until the soiling matter is removed, when, by engaging the clutch, the table proceeds as before.

' By operating the hand-lever 14, the springs under the table are compressed, lowering the table from contact with the brush and roller,

and so enabling the operator quickly to place a garment in position for scrubbing, or to bring it back for re-scrubbing before it passes through the machine, by the action of the brush.

As the table travels forward to the full extent of its stroke, a gap is opened between the roller 9 and the rear edge of the table, when, as the operator releases the garment, it is moved by the brush over the table and falls through the gap.

In themodified arrangement illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the table 10 is mounted on two sets of leaf springs 13, one at each end of the table 10, the springs 13 being anchored at opposite ends to the underside of the table 10, and secured to the top of the arms or radius rods-12. An operating lever 14: (pivotally mounted on the arms or radius rods 12) is coupled to the underside of the table 10 by a link 15 so that the table 10 may be drawn away from the brush 8 and roll 9 and locked in that position by the engagement of lever 14 with the notches of the rack 34.

The washing tank 3 and the rinsing tank 2 are separate units which are mounted on the machine frame and interconnected by an overflow pipe 35. In the washing tank 3 is located the paddle 36 which oscillates about the spindle 37, which is operated in synchronism with the rocking movements of the table 10 through linkage 38 deriving its motion from the table shaft 6. The distance between any two of the pivot pins of the linkage may be adjustable to vary the stroke of the paddle.

The paddle 36 comprises two plates 39 and 10 which extend across the width of the tank 3. The lower plate 39 is perforated andkeyed to the spindle 37, The upper plate 10 is unperforated, is loosely hinged to the spindle '37 m as to be capable of swinging independ ently of the lower plate 39, and is normally seated in rubber strips or cushions ll. A bolt 42 passing through both plates 39 and limits their relative movements. The tank 3 is formed with an arcuate lower portion 43 which is swept by the paddle 36 as it oscil lates.

On the downstroke of the paddle 36 the washing liquor gushes through the perforated lower plate 39 and lifts the upper plate 40 from off its seating, the liquor escaping at the longitudinal sides of the plate 40. On the upstroke, the upper plate 40 drops to its normal position and the two plates 39 and 40 move together and throw the mass of liquor above the paddle 36 to the other side of the tank 3. This opening and closing movement of the paddle 36 during its oscillations effects great agitation of the liquor and continued movement of the garments in the washing tank.

I claim:

1 A washing machine comprising an oscillatably mounted work table, a rotary brush mounted above said table, a squeezing roll disposed behind said rotary brush and above 1 in which the work table is pivoted for swinging oscillatory movement and in which the table top is convexly curved and medially flattened.

In testimony whereof I hayeaflixed my signature hereto this 23rd day of February 1931.

FRANK WRIGHT. 

